• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.12-23
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to develop and study an experiential natural education program that could emphasize the importance of the natural environment by providing natural experience opportunities using the natural resources of the urban forest parks using Youngheung Park in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province as a target site. The research target was limited to Suwon Yeongheung Park, which had the potential to become a place for education, where urban forest conservation and sustainable use already coexist. The natural education resources derived by surveying and analyzing the basic environment and the ecology of plants and animals in Suwon Yeongheung Park were organized to establish program goals, directions, and themes. Suwon Yeongheung Park is a water-rich forest that forms an ecological system of wetlands, including rice paddies, muknon wetlands, and dungbun, near a valley area. The U-shaped walkway was smoothly formed along the ridge and includes Doran-gil, which is among the Palochrome Road, designated by the city of Suwon. The soil is acidic, with a pH 4.40, due to urban pollution and acid rain, and is not good for plant growth. Most of the artificial forests, natural forests, and arable land were found using land use and extant life surveys. Old trees were distributed in artificial forests, the oak clusters in natural forests, and the fields and darrinones were distributed in the arable areas. As the forest vegetation declined, the cedar forest was underway, and the cedar trees and red bean pear trees were cultivated due to their adaptability to the urban environment. There are 13 large of 180 sacks, one being 109 centimeters in diameter, the largest silvery tree, and 105 oak trees, provide food and shelter for animals. Six species of waterfowl that used the 22 kinds of forest wetlands, while four species of amphibians and two species of reptiles reside in the wetlands. Natural Monument No. 327, Mauryuk, Class II Endangered Wildlife, was also observed in the wetlands. Eight other species of surface dragonflies and three species of butterflies were observed. By systemizing the resources, members, and characteristics of the forest ecosystems in Suwon Yeongheung Park based on five criteria, the program for a hands-on natural education was presented with the aim of understanding the urban forest ecosystem in Suwon Yeongheung Park, having an affinity with the city, and recognizing its relationship with the community and society. However, further research is needed as there are limitations of research on programs characterized by different ages and classes.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.60-68
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• 2008

Three land-use limitations including water hazard, soil erosion and fallow potential were evaluated to define an unfair area. Landscape indices in the unfair areas, defined by evaluations before and after landscape enhancement, were computed by Fragstats v3.3 and compared in order to propose a landscape enhancement plan. The results are as follows: First, as a result of the land evaluation, 388.56ha was analyzed for the 1st class(S1), 623.25ha for the 2nd class(S2), 138.08ha(S3s: 82.47ha, S3e: 51.88ha) for the 3rd class(S3), 230.44ha(N1w: 194.91ha, N1e: 23.09ha, N1es: 13.94ha) for the 4th class(N1), and 67.91ha(N2w: 60. 89ha, N2es: 7.02ha) for the 5th class(N2). The classes under the 3rd class(including the 3rd class) were determined as an unfair area, and proposed landscape enhancement for them. Second, it was proposed that unfair areas with potential water hazards(N1 w, N2w) be restored as a wetland and buffer zone. At this point, the farmers owning these fields could be compensated using the direct payment for landscape conservation(DPLC). Areas witha relatively lower slope(S3e) or a steep slope(N1e) containing soil erodibility potential were proposed to be restored as a sod-culture-applied field and substitute vegetation or potentially natural vegetation, respectively. The unfair areas having fallow potential(S3s, N1es, N2es) were proposed to apply special use crops for the S3s fields, native plants for the N1es fields, and intended fallow for the N2es fields. Third, after landscape enhancement, theforest had higher values in the indices of NP, PLAND, LSI, IJI, and TCA, while paddy and upland had lower values in most indices except NP and LSI. The forest patches increased and were more plentiful with their restoration and had much greater possibility to join with nearby patches. With continued restoration, forest patches will have a large core area and small number of patches due to the conglomeration of patches, which positively influences the species of diversity in the forest patches.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.472-483
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• 2014

Major cities have strengthened their efforts to improve the environmental function of the urban forest through aspects of quantity and quality. Yet, it is difficult to propose both long-term improvement and management policy direction continuously due to a lack of evaluating method that social needs could be reflected. After all, effective strengthening of the function of an urban forest, composed of social and biotic environments, is essential to create evaluation criteria. Such data reflects a quantity variation and identifies the distribution and habitation of biotic sources as well. An assessment of utilization possibilities presents such values as a green connectivity, an ecological healthiness, and usage and access opportunities. Consequently, this research was executed to create an urban forest sustainability index that proposes a management and policy direction based on the evaluation of quantity and quality aspects. This study was processed by the following steps: a degree of importance of ecological aspect, a sub-classification index choice, and an examination of adequacy. This research was conducted from premises that urban forest had another functions comparisons to a natural forest. As a result, a criteria of sustainability should be considered to evaluate an ecological aspect, as well as the social and management aspects regarding human disturbance. This research is designed to develop an evaluation index for ecological aspect. In order to evaluate the ecological healthiness of an urban forest, a vegetation index considers aspects of related rarity, damage possibility, naturalness, area, and diversity. In a wildbird index-related study, forest duration and area were selected. Finally, a variance analysis is presented, inclusive of stability, naturalness, diversity, potentiality, and possibility of wildlife inhabitation, which is indicative of an urban forest sustainability index.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.705-714
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• 2014

This text was analyzed and investigated the aerial part plants and buried seed plants at coniferous forest and broadleaved forest in Yesan-gun, in order to offer the basic data of potential natural vegetation change on secondary forest. Plants of buried seed germination were consisted of 29 taxa in coniferous forest (28 species, 1 varieties, of 27 genus, 20 families) and 36 taxa in broadleaved forest (34 species, 2 varieties, of 32 genus, 18 families). Family classification of buried seed plant was the most in Compositae, and emergent plot frequency was the highest of Cyperus amuricus in coniferous forest and Crepidiastrum sonchifolium in broadleaved forest. The soil depth of the most plants appearance was 0~10 cm in coniferous forest and 0~5 cm in broadleaved forest, and the soil depth of the most population appearance was 0~2 cm in coniferous forest and broadleaved forest. Population of buried seed germination was decreased according as soil is deep. Crepidiastrum sonchifolium was a plant that population of buried seed germination is the most. Similarity index of the aerial part plants and buried seed plants was low as 0.22, and coniferous forest and broadleaved forest was 0.40.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.578-587
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• 2022

Korea, as the world's 7^th largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has raised the national greenhouse gas reduction target as international regulations have been strengthened. As it is possible to utilize coastal and marine ecosystems as important nature-based solutions (NbS) for implementing climate change mitigation or adaptation plans, the blue carbon ecosystem is now receiving attention. Blue carbon refers to carbon that is deposited and stored for a long period after carbon dioxide (CO₂) is absorbed as biomass by coastal ecosystems or oceanic ecosystems through photosynthesis. Currently, there are only three blue carbon ecosystems officially recognized by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC): mangroves, salt marshes, and seagrasses. However, the results of new research on the high CO₂ sequestration and storage capacity of various new blue carbon sinks, such as seaweeds, microalgae, coral reefs, and non-vegetated tidal flats, have been continuously reported to the academic community recently. The possibility of IPCC international accreditation is gradually increasing through scientific verification related to calculations. In this review, the current status and potential value of seaweeds, seagrass fields, and non-vegetated tidal flats, which are sources of blue carbon on the east coast, are discussed. This paper confirms that seaweed resources are the most effective NbS in the East Sea of Korea. In addition, we would like to suggest the direction of research and development (R&D) and utilization so that new blue carbon sinks can obtain international IPCC certification in the near future.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.135-145
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• 2014

The mountain forest vegetation of Gyebangsan (1,577 m) in Odaesan National Park is classified into deciduous broad-leaved forest, mountain valley forest, coniferous forest, subalpine coniferous forest, subalpine deciduous forest, plantation forest, and other vegetation which includes Actinidia argute community and agricultural land. As for the number of communities distributed in the each forest vegetation which were categorized by the physiognomy classification, deciduous broad-leaved forest had 33 communities, mountain valley forest 41 communities, coniferous forest 8 communities, subalpine coniferous forest 4 communities, subalpine deciduous forest 2 communities, plantation forest 6 communities and other vegetation 4 communities. Regarding the distribution rate of communities in the vegetation, in the deciduous broad-leaved forest. Quercus mongolica community accounted for 80.226% with $30,909,942.967m^2$, followed by Quercus variabilis community of 2.771% with $1,067,479.335m^2$. 55.463% of deciduous broad-leaved forest in the Gyebangsan had Quercus mongolica as a dominant or second dominant species. In the mountain valley forest, Fraxinus rhynchophylla - Juglans mandshurica community accounted for 10.955%. And there were ten mixed communities having Fraxinus rhynchophylla and upper layer at a similar level of coverage, taking up 32.776%. In the coniferous forest, Pinus densiflora and the community living with Pinus densiflora accounted for 100%, showing that the coniferous forest has the community with Pinus densiflora as a dominant species at upper layer. For other vegetation, subalpine coniferous forest had a total of four communities including Abies holophylla - Quercus mongolica community, and accounted for 4.980% of vegetation area of Odaesan National Park. Two communities including Betula ermani - Cornus controversa community were found in the subalpine deciduous forest, taking up 0.006% of total vegetation area of Odaesan National Park. Regarding plantation forest, Larix leptolepis was planted the most with 51.652%, followed by Betula platyphylla var. japonica with 38.975%, and Pinus koraiensis with 7.969%. These three species combined accounted for 98.565%. In conclusion, the forest vegetation found in the Gyebangsan of Odaesan National Park has Quercus mongolica as a dominant species at the top layer. A lot of other communities related with this species are expected to be quickly replaced due to vegetation succession and climatic causes. Therefore, Quercus mongolica is expected to become the main species in the deciduous broad-leaved forest, Fraxinus rhynchophylla, Juglans mandshurica and Fraxinus mandshurica in the mountain valley forest. Around the border line between deciduous broad-leaved forest and mountain valley forest, highly humid valley area is expected to be quickly taken up by Cornus controversa and Fraxinus mandshurica, and the slope area by Quercus mongolica. However, in the subalpine coniferous forest, the distribution rate of deciduous broad-leaved trees is expected to increase due to climate warming.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.51-61
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• 2007

In natural river, river-bed change is greatly influenced by the various factors such as river improvement, change of watershed land use, construction of dam and reservoir, gravel mining, and so on. The knowledge about river-bed change in the river is essential in the river modification, wetlands plan, and maintaining stable alluvial rivers. In this study, river-bed change in the future was predicted by investigating river channel characteristics which play dominant role in the formation of channel and based on the numerical model through river survey and the grain size analysis. The Proposed investigation and model was applied to the Geum river and the Miho stream which have been experienced river degradation due to river aggregate dredging and now seams to be stable. The result of potential river-bed change which was estimated by investigating channel characteristic including slope of channel, friction velocity, and so on is similar to that which was estimated based on the numerical model. It was found that the Geum river and the Miho stream will be stable. In the future, if considering the characteristics of river channel which is estimated by the river-bed scour, sediment, and so on, it is possible that river improvement and wetland restoration plan are established stably and naturally.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.353-365
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• 2023

The effects of climate change on green infrastructure and environmental media remain uncertain and context-specific despite numerous climate projections globally. In this study, the extreme weather conditions in seven major cities in South Korea were characterized through statistical analysis of 20-year daily meteorological data extracted fro m the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA). Additionally, the impacts of extreme weather on Nature-based Solutions (NbS) were determined through a comprehensive review. The results of the statistical analysis and comprehensive review revealed the studied cities are potentially vulnerable to varying extreme weather conditions, depending on geographic location, surface imperviousness, and local weather patterns. Temperature extremes were seen as potential threats to the resilience of NbS in Seoul, as both the highest maximum and lowest minimum temperatures were observed in the mentioned city. Moreover, extreme values for precipitation and maximum wind speed were observed in cities from the southern part of South Korea, particularly Busan, Ulsan, and Jeju. It was also found that extremely low temperatures induce the most impact on the resilience of NbS and environmental media. Extremely cold conditions were identified to reduce the pollutant removal efficiency of biochar, sand, gravel, and woodchip, as well as the nutrient uptake capabilities of constructed wetlands (CWs). In response to the negative impacts of extreme weather on the effectiveness of NbS, several adaptation strategies, such as the addition of shading and insulation systems, were also identified in this study. The results of this study are seen as beneficial to improving the resilience of NbS in South Korea and other locations with similar climate characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.319-327
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• 2014

Understanding and quantifying of carbon storage in ecosystem is very important factor for predicting change of global carbon cycle under the global climate change. We estimated total ecosystem carbon in Gyeryongsan National Park with naturally well preserved ecosystem in Korea. Vegetation of Gyeryongsan National Park was classified with mainly four communities with Quercus mongolica (1,743.5 ha, 38.0%), Quercus variabilis (1,174.0 ha, 25.6%), Quercus serrata (971.9 ha, 21.2%), Pinus densiflora (695.2 ha, 15.2%). Biomass and soil carbons were calculated from biomass allometric equations based on the DBH and carbon contents of soil and litter collected in quadrat in each community. The tree biomass carbon was in Quercus variabilis ($130.1tCha^{-1}$), Pinus densiflora ($111.1tCha^{-1}$), Quercus mongolica ($76.2tCha^{-1}$), Quercus serrata ($39.0tCha^{-1}$). Soil carbon storage was in Quercus mongolica ($159.7tCha^{-1}$), Quercus serrata ($121.0tCha^{-1}$), Pinus densiflora ($110.5tCha^{-1}$), Quercus variabilis ($90.8tCha^{-1}$). Ecosystem carbon storage was Pinus densiflora ($239.9tCha^{-1}$), Quercus mongolica ($235.9tCha^{-1}$), Quercus variabilis ($226.0tCha^{-1}$), Quercus serrata ($165.9tCha^{-1}$), total amount was $867.7tCha^{-1}$. The area of each vegetation carbon storage was Quercus mongolica ($411,200tCha^{-1}$), Quercus variabilis ($265,300tCha^{-1}$), Pinus densiflora ($166,800tCha^{-1}$), Quercus serrata ($161,200tCha^{-1}$) and the total ecosystem carbon amount estimated $1,045,400tCha^{-1}$ at Gyeryongsan National Park. Theses results indicate that different in naturally well preserved ecosystem.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.422-439
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• 2019

The rear edge population is considered to have low genetic diversity and high risk of extinction according to a highly isolated distribution. However, the rear edge population is observed to have persisted for an extended period despite the low genetic diversity. As such, it is necessary to understand the ecological process involved in the persistence of the population. Viola mirabilis L. in Korea is considered the rear edge population from the perspective of the worldwide distribution. We surveyed the distribution range of V. mirabilis, which shows the isolated distribution in the central area of Korea, to find out the factors of its persistence. Next, we investigated and accessed the vegetational pattern of habitats, soil environment, phenology, self-compatibility, population structure, and extinction risk factors observed in the distribution area. V. mirabilis was distributed in the understory of the deciduous forest, planted forest of the deciduous conifer and deciduous broad-leaved trees, shrubland, and grassland in the limestone area. We also observed the re-establishment of seedlings in the population, and most of them showed a stable population structure. For chasmogamous flowers, the visit by pollinators has a significantly positive relationship with the production of fruits. However, we found that the production of the cleistogamous flowers was more numerous in all studied populations and that only the cleistogamous flowers were produced despite a more substantial plant size in some populations. The plant size was more related to the production of the cleistogamous flowers than that of the chasmogamous flowers. Accordingly, the cleistogamous flowers significantly contributed to seedling recruitment in the population. We found that the production of the chasmogamous flowers and the cleistogamous flowers did not have a correlation with the factors of the soil analysis except for phosphoric acid. V. mirabilis showed the self-incompatibility characteristics most likely due to the production capability of the cleistogamous flowers. Potential extinction risk factors observed in the distribution area was included the development of limestone mine, the expansion of agricultural fields, and the construction of houses. Although V. mirabilis showed an isolated distribution in the limestone area in the Korean peninsula, it showed a diverse distribution in a wide habitat environment ranging from the grassland to the understory of the trees with relatively low canopy closure rate. Moreover, we concluded that the persistence of the population was possible if we can maintain the current state of multiple populations and stable population structure.